POKEMON : THE WAY OF PERCEPTION

"The broadcast is now live—the Kanto Region Elite Four Challenge!" The excited voice of the commentator boomed from the TV, filling a small room where a teenager sat, eyes glued to the screen.

"The challenger today is Koga, a Pokémon expert from Fuchsia City's renowned ninja family!" The camera panned to reveal a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and short, dark blue hair, dressed in a traditional ninja suit, stepping onto the field.

This is the Kanto Region, home to the Indigo Plateau, where the headquarters of the Pokémon League is located. The stage for today's battle is the historic Quartz Arena, which has hosted countless legendary duels.

"Facing the challenge is Agatha, one of the current Elite Four and a master of Ghost-type Pokémon!" The camera cut to an elderly woman with short gray-blonde hair, leaning on a wooden cane as she entered the field. Her piercing gaze seemed to command respect and fear in equal measure.

"This is a battle for the coveted Elite Four position! Will Koga, the challenger, succeed in securing the title? Or will Agatha, the seasoned master, defend her spot?"

The anticipation in the arena was palpable as Koga and Agatha stood at opposite ends of the battlefield. The referee stepped forward, holding a red flag for Koga and a green one for Agatha.

"The battle will follow standard League rules: a 6v6 duel. Both Trainers may switch Pokémon freely during the match. The battle ends when one side's Pokémon are all unable to continue!"

On the giant screen above the arena, headshots of Koga and Agatha appeared, each flanked by six black circles representing their respective teams.

"Let's begin with the coin toss to determine the first move!" the referee declared.

"As the challenged party, I'll let Koga decide," Agatha said with a wry smile, her hands resting on her cane.

Koga nodded, his expression calm and focused. "I choose heads," he announced.

A coin with a Magikarp on one side and the number "1" on the other appeared on the screen. It spun through the air before landing. The side showing the Magikarp faced up.

"The coin toss is in Koga's favor! He will take the first move!" the commentator shouted. The audience erupted into cheers, and even the boy watching from home couldn't help but feel excited.

"I wish I were the one standing there, challenging Agatha!" the boy muttered, his fists clenched with determination.

"Ash! Ash!" A soft, kind voice called from downstairs. "It's getting late. Don't you want to be ready for your visit to Professor Oak tomorrow?"

"Got it, Mom!" Ash called back, his eyes glued to the screen. "Just let me finish watching this battle!"

"It's late, and you'll regret it if you're late tomorrow," his mother warned gently from below.

"I promise I won't be late!" he shouted back, still mesmerized by the unfolding battle.

Back on the screen, Koga was making his first move. Knowing that Poison-type Pokémon were at a disadvantage against Ghost-types, he carefully considered his choice.

"Crobat, I choose you!" Koga shouted, tossing a Poké Ball into the air.

From the Poké Ball emerged Crobat, a sleek, purple Pokémon with four wings that allowed it to dart through the air with incredible speed.

Ash's eyes widened as a strange window of information appeared in his vision—a feature only he could see.

Crobat

Type: Poison/Flying

Category: Bat Pokémon

Ability: Inner Focus (prevents flinching)

Hidden Ability: Infiltrator

Strength: Elite-level

"An Elite-level Pokémon! Amazing!" Ash whispered, his eyes shining with admiration. "As expected from an Elite Four contender."

Agatha responded with an amused smile. "A fine choice, but let's see how it fares against this. Go, Gengar!"

She tossed her own Poké Ball, releasing Gengar—a dark purple Pokémon with a mischievous grin and glowing red eyes. Its sinister presence sent chills down the spines of everyone watching.

Once again, Ash's mysterious ability provided detailed information.

Gengar

Type: Ghost/Poison

Category: Shadow Pokémon

Ability: Cursed Body (may disable moves upon contact)

Strength: Champion-level

"A champion-level Gengar?" Ash gasped. "But Agatha is part of the Elite Four, not a Champion! How…?"

Then it dawned on him. Elite Four members, especially someone as experienced as Agatha, could easily have Pokémon surpassing the Elite tier. Her years of training and experience made her team formidable.

"The match begins!" the referee announced, snapping Ash back to reality.

Koga wasted no time. "Crobat, use Confuse Ray!"

Crobat's eyes glowed as it summoned a strange orb of light. The orb condensed into a beam and shot toward Gengar with blinding speed.

Ash leaned forward in excitement. "That's so fast!"

But Agatha remained calm. "Gengar, dodge and counter with Mean Look!"

With an eerie chuckle, Gengar twisted its body and narrowly evaded the beam. Then, its red eyes glowed menacingly, and spectral eyes materialized around Crobat, locking it in place.

Mean Look prevented Crobat from being withdrawn, forcing it to stay in the fight until it was defeated.

"Impressive," Ash murmured, his admiration for both Trainers growing by the second.

"Your Crobat lacks precision," Agatha remarked. "Gengar, now use Shadow Ball!"

Gengar formed a swirling ball of dark energy between its hands and launched it at Crobat.

"Dodge it, Crobat!" Koga commanded.

Crobat flapped its wings furiously, darting upward just in time to avoid the attack.

"Counter with Air Slash!" Koga ordered.

Crobat's wings glowed as it unleashed a flurry of sharp wind blades aimed at Gengar.

"Not bad," Agatha said, "but it's not enough. Gengar, Protect!"

A shimmering barrier appeared around Gengar, absorbing the Air Slash effortlessly.

The battle raged on, with both Trainers showcasing their skill and strategy. Crobat's speed gave it an edge in dodging attacks, but Gengar's versatility and power kept Koga on his toes.

Ash's eyes sparkled as he watched the intense match. "Someday, I'll be there," he whispered to himself. "I'll become a Pokémon Master and face opponents like them!"

The match continued late into the night, with no clear winner in sight. Despite his mother's reminders, Ash couldn't tear himself away from the screen. He was captivated, dreaming of the day when he, too, would stand in the Indigo Plateau, ready to challenge the best.

As the battle entered its climax, Ash finally stood up, turned off the TV, and stretched. "Tomorrow's the start of my journey," he said with a determined smile. "I'll catch my first Pokémon, and one day, I'll be in the Elite Four Challenge, just like Koga!"

With that, he headed to bed, his dreams filled with visions of Pokémon battles and the adventures that awaited him.

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